The billionaire founders of Google moved last night to ensure that they retained long-term control of the company by instigating a stock split.

The two-for-one split will create a new class of non-voting share that will ensure Larry Page and Sergey Brin do not lose power to investors.

The co-founders own about 30 per cent of Google and, with the chairman Eric Schmidt, control about two thirds of the voting rights — allowing them to override outside shareholders who might demand change.

Without the split, the founders’ influence would have been steadily diluted as stock options were awarded to employees or